Method of and means for baking



Sept. 20, 1938. BARTON 2,130,533

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR BAKING Original Filed Jan. 19, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and this application January 29, 1937,Serial No. 123,038

6 Claims.

This invention pertains to a baking or roasting utensil, and principallyto a method of baking carried out in conjunction therewith.

This application is a division of my co-pending' application, SerialNumber 2,461 filed January 19, 1935 and carries forward importantobjects set forth therein.

In addition to'some of the more important objects set forth in saidapplication,

A further object is to provide a device wherein a moist edible may bemounted on a supporting means and retained in spaced relation to theinside walls, the supporting means having an exterior vent fordemoisturizing the edible per se or venting the area around the ediblethru the edible upon the latter reaching a certain stage of doneness.

A still further object of the invention is to point contactedly supportan edible in spaced relation to the wall of a container whereby as thearticle is being cooked in submerged heat or an openfire its wateryvapor given off during cooking protects from burning as might otherwisebe the case if the article contacted the heated walls of the container.Simultaneously the hot vapor bath aids in the cooking of the article.

In the drawing forming a part of the specification- The figure is aperspective view showing the invention in a preferred form, wallportions thereof being broken away to show interior parts.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the invention is embodied in an ovencasing 35 which is elliptical as viewedinlongitudinal mid-=section. Thiscasing is formed in two slightly telescoping sections 36 and 31, havinga shouldered lip 38 and a plain lip 38a. Said lips are machined out ofround so that when once telescoped, a clockwise or counterclockwiserotation of one with respect to the other will clinch them together in asubstantially air-tight relation. This form of invention is adapted. forbaking large potatoes one at a time although it will be obvious a numberof small potatoes also may be baked similarly, and other shapesemployed.

A potato 39 is shown supported in spacedrelation to the walls of theoven by means of a large penetrating spur member 40 at one end, and avsmaller spur ll at the other end. Owing to the spur 40 being pointed atone end and having a body portion which can puncture the potato withoutbreaking it, the spur may be easily projected into or through potatoespreparatory to placing them in a position for baking. The spur 40 has alongitudinally extending vent passage 42 and lateral vents 43. The ventsmay, should occasion arise, provide egress for excess pressure built upin the area surrounding the potato, thru the potato, when it is cookedto a porous or floury state. The vents also aid in demoisturizing theedible being cooked.

Olive oil, melted butter, or other desired liquid dressing may beintroduced into the potato thru the lateral vents 43 from the open endof the vent 42 by means of the spout ill of a conventional can 6|, thusseasoning the edibles while baking. The spout of the can should be smallenough to provide for the insertion of its discharge end within the openend of the spur so that liquid dressing may be forcibly fed into theinterior of theedibles. This may be done if the can is of the typehaving its bottom made of resilient springy sheet metal or the devicemay be placed on end and the seasoning substance permitted to gravitateslowly into the potato by permeation.

The exterior portion of the small spur M is round to permit it to turnin the bearing provided therefor by that end portion of the casing, butthe portion thereof which penetrates the potato is pointed and polygonalin cross section. Said spur II has a handle 4 In which the cook maygrasp and thus test the extent to which the cooking has progressed. Ifthe spur 4| turns easily it applied to section 36 and given a slighttwist when the utensil is ready to be introduced to heat. This heat maybe in the character of an oven, an open gas flame or the coal beds of aburning camp fire or other heat producing medium, the choice dependingsomewhat on the material with which the device is constructed. Owing tothe fact that the sections engage each other with a working fit the areasurrounding the potato is virtually made airtight.

As heat is applied to the casing the edible gives 01f moisture in theform .of steam which envelops the potato and fills up the areatherearound. This steam increases in pressure as the potato cooks,envelops it and in addition to aiding in cookingthe potato with its ownvapor also prevents the outer surface of the potato'from becomingblistered from the heat. This manner of permeating the potato with itsown watery substance enhances the palatability of the potato and alsoretains properties so vital to human health which are otherwise given0!! when the potato is subjected to heat in a large oven.

The pressure built up in the area around about the potato will, when itgetstoo great, vent itself thru the pores of the potato, especially whenit gets to a semi-floury state, to the outside thru the prong. Thislessening of pressure thru the interstices of the' potato in turnspreads the molecules of the potato and aids in flakingof the potatowhen it is ready for eating.

The turnable testing spur ll may be dispensed with entirely when thecooking of the edible is properly timed.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the subject matterclaimed.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of cooking an edible which consists in impaling an edible,providing the impaling member with a vent, housing the edible on saidmember in an enclosure with the sides of the edible in spaced relationto the enclosure with the vent in the member opening and accessibleexteriorly of the enclosure upon the latter being in closed condition,subjecting the enclosure-to heat and when the structure of the ediblebecomes softened by heat injecting liquid seasoning thru the vent intothe edible while maintaining the enclosure in closed condition.

2. The method of testing the extent to which an article oflfood beingbaked has been softened by the application of heat thereto whichconsists in supporting such food article within a closed casing in anon-turnable manner with relation to said casing, and then projectinginto said article a turnable impaling member having a polygonal pointedportion, and then testing the resistance of said impaling member againsta turning movement by the application of torsional force thereto.

3. The method of repermeating an edible with its own watery substancegiven off during cooking which consists in impaling an edible, providingthe impaling-member with a vent, housing the edible on said member in anenclosure with the sides of the edible in spaced relation to theenclosure with the vent open to the atmosphere, subjecting the enclosureto heat and when the structure of the edible becomes softened by heataerating the interior of the enclosure to the atmosphere thru thesoftened structure.

4. That method of cooking an edible containing moisture which consistsin subjecting the edible to heat while placing'the interior of theedible in communication with air free from the m isture of the edible.

That method of cooking an edible containing moisture which consists insupporting the edible in a closed receptacle free from contact with allthe walls of the receptacle, and subjecting the receptacle to cookingheat while maintaining the interior of the edible in free communicationwith the air exterior of the receptacle.

6. That method of cooking an edible containing moisture which consistsin supporting the edible in a closed receptacle free from contact withall the walls of the receptacle, subjecting the receptacle to cookingheat while maintaining the interior of the edible in free communicationwith the air exterior of the receptacle, and supplying seasoning throughthe communication from the exterior of the receptacle to the interior ofthe edible.

RAYMOND L. BARTON.

